Word Origin & History

1812 as both a noun and verb, American English, from Elbridge Gerry + (sala)mander. Gerry, governor of Massachusetts, was lampooned when his party redistricted the state in a blatant bid to preserve an Antifederalist majority. One Essex County district resembled a salamander, and a newspaper editor dubbed it Gerrymander. Related: Gerrymandered; gerrymandering.

Example Sentences for gerrymander

It was from this incident that the word "gerrymander," so often heard in politics in these days, took its name.

The gerrymander is not produced by the iniquity of parties, it is the outcome of the district system.

Consequently, every apportionment act involves more or less of the gerrymander.

He illustrates a gerrymander which actually made one Democratic vote equal to five Republican votes.

Under such a system all unfairness would disappear, and the gerrymander would be impossible.

It is not settled who is entitled to the authorship of the word "Gerrymander," for which a number of claimants have appeared.

If you don't, I shall give the documents in the gerrymander affair to the papers the day after you fail.

It happens every few years that the newspapers are full of more or less excited talk about a "gerrymander."